The Historian in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Apr 01, 2011 Jeff Scott rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1001books, fiction, audiobooks, vampires

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. “I became a historian to preserve my own history forever…”

A very chilling tale, very slow paced, but has a nice payoff in the end. It’s a classic retelling of the most famous vampire novel of all time Dracula. I think it’s interesting to read this now, considering it was originally published in 2005, just before the vampire craze took off. Considering what happens in the book, one could do a little spoof. Instead of Dracula searching for books to perfect evil, he could just help generate more Te “I became a historian to preserve my own history forever…”

A very chilling tale, very slow paced, but has a nice payoff in the end. It’s a classic retelling of the most famous vampire novel of all time Dracula. I think it’s interesting to read this now, considering it was originally published in 2005, just before the vampire craze took off. Considering what happens in the book, one could do a little spoof. Instead of Dracula searching for books to perfect evil, he could just help generate more Teen Vampire Novels. THAT would be TRULY evil.
I can also see why so many librarians have read and enjoyed this book. You have evil librarians, and an evil library, all the creation of Dracula. His main goal isn’t necessarily to create a world of vampires, but a way to push the boundaries of evil atrocities and to collect them. Although, I would imagine in today’s climate, librarians would object to a non-librarian cataloging his works  (but again, he IS evil).

I also enjoyed the technique of storytelling through letter writing. You get through about three layers of narrators this way. The author is a very big tease as well. Just as you get into a juicy part, the chapter ends. A box opens, a letter is found, a person is discovered, or a revelation, and then the chapter ends. This technique is very effective, but it makes the pacing very slow. However, without it, I don’t know if I would have finished the book.

I also liked the history of the Ottoman invasion in Central Europe, very educational if one didn’t know about the area and Ottoman occupation for four hundred years.

Some of the parts are a little too convenient, which she does humorously acknowledge. The characters run into too many people who also happen to be vampire experts.

It seems unfair to have a book about Dracula where Dracula doesn’t “get it” in the end. I thought the death was a little too easy with all of the build-up. He just gets surprised by one more person and that’s it? You have this massive build-up of a vampire who is immortal, building a library of evil, responsible for so much evil (an allusion to his involvement with the Nazis was interesting), and he can be killed so easily. However, the epilogue made up for that. Again, classic horror, the villain is killed, or is he?

A fun read, with lots of interesting history, slow gothic pace, and a rewarding ending.
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Jun 10, 2010 Gayle rated it it was ok

I wanted to enjoy this book. I tried to enjoy this book. SO MANY people I know, whose opinions I trust and respect, enjoyed this book. But I just couldn't, and I don't know why. At first, I only had 10 or 15 minutes here and there to read it, which broke it up and made it hard to get hooked and sucked in. Then when I finally made the time and HAD the time to sit for chunks of time, I STILL couldn't get into this book. I hope Eileen isn't TOO disappointed that I didn't enjoy, let alone FINISH, a ...more

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May 15, 2012 Aimee rated it really liked it

4.5 stars...should I have rounded up? Interesting voice(s). Took me awhile to get into it. I wasn't sure I'd be hooked, given how I feel about vampires (completely creeped out by them), but the scholarly approach made it a much more palatable subject. Thoroughly enjoyed it, after the hour or so it took to adjust to the writing style. ...more

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